The price of life
by BubbyWritesStuff
Summary: A fateful encounter in a tavern could drastically change Amélie Lacroix's life...Slowburn mercymaker centric


The price of life

It had been several hours since the night had fallen on the land of Lorekin. Bordered to the north by high mountains and to the south by thick forests, it was an important refueling place for travelers and merchants coming from all over the country. A few miles from one of its forests, stood the modest village of Halesbourg. Trade was not as flourishing as in the past. Yet it was not uncommon to meet strangers, passing by here before venturing into the woods. The streets were often crowded with carts and convoys heading for the nearby capital. From the inside of the main street taverns, bursts of laughter and songs could be heard. One of them in particular, located at the entrance of the city, was without a doubt the most lively.

The latter, however, was not in a good shape, as much from the outside as from inside. Its slated roof looked badly maintained, you could see some moss and other traces of mold here and there. The main room was very damp, with a slight rancid scent that stung to your nostrils as soon as you walked in. The floor was quite filthy, covered with mud and grass brought by the peasants and travelers who made up most of the customers. Which, therefore, did not help with the room's smell. Behind the counter stood a stocky man. With a haggard eye, he cleaned the glasses up tirelessly with an old cloth as sticky as the shirt he wore.

Some customers were sipping a fresh pint of beer at the counter. Others played cards at one of the tables in the room, laughing loudly. And in the back of the room, a dark silhouette watched them with their piercing gaze. A simple hunter habit. Amelie Lacroix, better known as Widowmaker waited patiently in the shadows. From here she could see and hear everything, taking great interest in imagining what could attract all these people in this disgusting place. Her long black hair was tied into a tight ponytail. Carefully scrutinizing every detail, her yellow eyes sparkled with an almost unreal glow, bringing out some light amber hues. Her slender face was torn by three thin scars, from the middle of her forehead to the bottom of her left ear. A token from the past that the brunette often concealed with a hood to avoid indiscreet questions. But usually her cold and distant demeanor was enough to stop any comments on this subject.

A single candle lit up her table, allowing the huntress to remain discreet. She raised the gobelet before her to her lips and took a slow sip. Normally, the tall brunette would have smiled out of satisfaction, the wine being one of her favorites. But there, she frowned and just rested the cup on the table, with an slightly upset look. The wine had a taste for the least ... Strange. It was more like vinegar mixed with alcohol rather than wine, yet it was not surprising in such place, she thought. She would have said two words to the owner, but not tonight. The brunette sighed and looked again at the wooden door standing in front of her.

If she was here tonight, it certainly was not for the wine, nor for the atmosphere either. No. Amélie had received a mysterious message a few days ago. The brunette took it out of her pocket and unrolled it for a quick glance, hoping to find a small detail she hadn't noticed before.

Several things had surprised her when she had 'received' it though. First, it was by searching in her pockets that she had discovered this little parchment. The paper was much lighter than the one people were using here, making the huntress even more curious. Its smell and color were also different. This paper must have been made with a technique that was unknown to her. It was light, thin, and much brighter than standard parchment. The handwriting, on the other hand, had brought her more clues about the identity of its sender. It was fine and delicate, it had to be someone educated given the precision and the care given to the writing. Yet the huntress did not draw any conclusions from all this, you could never be too careful. She went through the message once again:

_"See you next Friday in Halesbourg, at the old mill tavern, after dusk. I have a request to submit you. I'll join you there._

_Mercy. "_

Amelie chuckled as she rolled the roll of paper with her long fingers, staring at the tavern's door. Whoever "Mercy" was, this person was not punctual, to say the least. The brunette had watched all the customers one by one, but none of them seemed to be this mysterious person. A small acute noise caught her attention and she pulled her pocket watch out of her purple velvet jacket. Another hour had passed since the huntress's arrival. The brunette pursed her lips and carefully put her watch back in her pocket. But when she looked back to the front, a hooded figure had appeared on the other side of the table. How was that possible? She hadn't heard anything, saw nothing ... It seemed that everyone was in the same situation: the occupants of the tavern had not moved an eyelash. The questions were jostling in Amelie's mind and she had every intention of finding an answer.

"You're late ..." The brunette said coldly, her arms crossed around her chest, a little annoyed at being caught off guard like this. The person in front of her was wearing a thick, deep blue cape, which gave no indication on her body size. They looked a little smaller than Amélie, about a head less, she thought. A hood concealed a large part of their face, making identification difficult again. Amelie, however, noticed their thin chin and pink lips that opened after a few seconds, revealing a row of bright white teeth.

"Widowmaker I presume ?"

Whoever it was, this person seemed absolutely unstabilized by the attitude of Amelie and slowly took place in front of her. However, a detail caught the eye of the huntress. Her mysterious interlocutor glanced furtively around them every so often. All this made the huntress even more curious, a small grin appearing on her face.

"That's a possibility. Who asks for her ?"

"People call me 'Mercy'. "

The voice was soft but steady, with a slight accent that Amelie could not identify. She had hoped that the light of the candle would reveal her more things about her interlocutor, but it seemed that the shadow projected by their hood remained unchanged from wherever the light came from. The pieces of the puzzle began to assemble in the huntress's mind.

_"It's probably a mage ... Or ... No, it's impossible ... These are just legends ... We have not seen __them __for ages ..."_ The brunette thought while searching in her pockets again, her amber eyes glued to the strange silhouette in front of her. Meeting "supernatural" beings was not rare for Amélie, it was often for that that she was hired. But it was very rare for such people to contact her. They often had their own ways of solving problems.

"I see, so you sent me that message ..." She answered, gently putting the roll on the table. Mercy nodded and slowly pulled off her hood, revealing her face to Amélie. In addition to her slender traits, she had light blue eyes like the sky. Her long, almost white, blonde hair reached her back and cascaded down her cheeks. A long lock was partly hidding her face. Amélie watched her silently, detailing every element of her guest's silhouette. Mercy was about thirty years old at best, she thought. After glancing furtively behind her again, Mercy leaned toward Amélie and answered :

"Indeed, I would need your services, and I was assured that you're one of the best …"

Amélie did not like to brag about her hunting abilities, but her roughless efficiency was no longer in doubt for anyone who had ever crossed her path. She grabbed her goblet, watching for a moment the purple liquid it contained, before raising her amber eyes toward the blonde.

"Enough flatteries, what is this all about ?"

Once again, Mercy didn't seem disturbed, and even with the brittle tone the brunette used. Yet, behind this apparent calm, it was clear that the blonde was anxious. Her body language betrayed her. In addition to the numerous stealthy glances, she was constantly changing position in her chair, and was pulling on her gloves. They were also blue, but lighter than her cape and adorned with fine white thread embroidery. The blonde made a small displeased sound before answering, her eyebrows slightly frowned.

"Well, I do not have any time to lose anyway. I want to go in search of a very old artifact, and I would need protection for a while ... "

Amelie raised an eyebrow at that. So she was right, this person was connected to the magical world after all. However, a bodyguard mission did not interested her much, the huntress being more used to solo missions.

"An artifact? Curious, what are its properties? And more important where is it? "

At these words, Amelie saw the thin pink lips of the blonde pinch at once. She sat up in her chair, as if she feared someone or something would hear their conversation. No doubt the situation was tensed.

"I can't tell you anything, not here ..." she whispered, leaning forward to be sure that only Amelie could hear. It only intensified the curiosity of the huntress, who was turning the roll of parchment again between her long fingers. One more piece was added to the puzzle in her head and a spark illuminated her gaze for a moment.

"My dear, you will have to be a little more 'cooperative' if you want my help..." she said in a soft voice leaning against the back of her chair.

"W-what? What do you mean ? "

"I need more details to prepare for this mission, do you understand ? » She asked, her golden eyes glued to Mercy. "You must also be aware of my 'condition'? I'm afraid starting a journey across the country will not be easy. "

"Your uh ... Condition? "

Amelie glanced to the right and left, to check that no one was watching. Then she opened her mouth, revealing two pointy canines that shone in the candlelight. Mercy shuddered and put a hand to her mouth. Obviously she did not know.

" You are... "

The tall brunette could not help sneering, resting her chin on the back of her hands in a falsely nonchalant way. All this amused her terribly.

" A vampire ? Finely observed ... Suppose I accept your offer, we would have to travel only at night, it will slow us down a lot. And it seems you're in a hurry. "

It was Mercy's turn to sneer, obviously, the indolent attitude of her interlocutor was starting to annoy her. Amelie saw the shadow of a grin distort her thin face as the blonde crossed her arms around her chest.

"If you really are the best it should not be a problem, is it? "

"Oh do not worry about that, dear. In addition, it seems to me that you did not mention a reward in your request. "

"What do you want in exchange ? I'm afraid I'm not very wealthy... "

"Gold does not interest me ..." Said the brunette. An idea had sprung up in her mind as she talked to Mercy. And she was planning to use the potential talents of her mysterious partner.

"On the other hand, I would like you to find a way for me to be able to go under the sun safely. That would be beneficial to both of us, it seems to me. "

Mercy seemed to hesitate. She tapped the table with her fingertips nervously, as if weighing the pros and cons of this deal. After a few minutes she seemed to relax a little, and nodded.

"It seems honest to me. But what makes you think that I am capable of such a thing? "

Amelie raised an eyebrow, watching the blonde with amusement. She took the message out of her pocket and put it prominently in the center of the table.

" Oh ? For example, the fact that this message came into my possession without me noticing it. That you appeared before me without anyone realizing it. Or should i menton the shadow that so skilfully hid your face ?"

Once again, Mercy's lips were pinched for a few seconds. She must not like people prying. The blonde then sighed.

"Alright, alright, I'll do what you ask of me ... I don't really have a choice. "

"Excellent, I think we will be able to do business. For how long do you want to leave ? » Amélie asked, a thin smile lighting up her face. Her bluff had worked in the end. If all this worked, she would soon have a significant advantage over her enemies.

"I will contact you, it will take time to prepare a potion. "

"Very well, in this case I think we're done for tonight, dear. » She said, grabbing her cloak from the back of her chair. However, the blonde made a gesture to stop her.

"I don't think so. I need to take a few drops of your blood for the potion to be effective. "

"Alright... "

With a quick gesture, Amélie took out a dagger attached to her belt, then put it on the table in front of her. It was soon joined by one of her black leather gloves. Her hand was, like the rest of her skin, sickly white. However, it would have been silly to underestimate the huntress. Mercy, looked at her then picked up a test tube and removed the cork.

The tall brunette then made a small incision in the palm of her hand, under the look of Mercy who pinched her lips again. The blood soon beaded at the surface of the wound, and ran down Amélie's hand. It was soon recovered by the blonde, who put the cork on the test tube.

Once she had finished, Amélie searched in her pocket and wrapped her hand in a large white handkerchief. Gradually, it was tinged with red, which had not been unnoticed by the blonde who put her hand on the huntress's.

"I can heal you if-"

"It will not be necessary. Amélie interrupted her coldly while putting away her dagger. " Don't forget. I am a vampire, that kind of small wounds disappear quickly. "

" Oh ? Yes of course, you're right. "

A long silence settled between the two women. Both had gotten what they wanted, it was now time to act. Before getting up, Mercy covered her head again with her hood, the shadow partially obscuring her face.

"See you soon... Widowmaker ..." She said before slipping away while the brunette had her back turned. She turned around, but it seemed that no one had noticed anything. All the clients had continued their activities as if nothing had happened.

"Interesting ... very interesting..." She thought as she closed the metal clips that held her cloak around her shoulders. After throwing some copper coins on the table, Amélie left the tavern. The fresh air of the night tickled her cheekbones, the heels of her boots slamming on the pavement as she ventured into the dark alleys. The brunette walked around the tavern and advanced to a modest stable where three horses were attached.

One of them was visibly taller and stockier than the other two. Its black ebony fur gleamed in the light of the few torches around. The brunette walked over to it and stroked the horse's muzzle before giving it a small apple bought earlier in the evening. While her horse was enjoying its treat, Amélie untied its reins and took the horse out of the stable.

"It's time to head back now. We have work to do... " The huntress whispered, riding her horse. Once out of the village, Amélie gave a heel strike in the sides of her steed and both disappeared in the dark night.

A week later, Amélie was about to finish her preparations for the journey. Sitting at the end of a long, solid wooden table, the huntress carefully counted her ammunitions. New bullets were scattered in front of her, shining in the glow of a chandelier that had seen better days. Amélie took one and examined it for a moment before storing it in a small leather pouch. Once it was filled, the brunette put on a pair of thick gloves.

"Prudence is a mother of safety ..." She thought, bringing out a new pouch.

These bullets were made of silver, and Amélie had no desire to hurt herself by touching them.

Even the slightest touch would be synonymous of severe burns, it was therefore important to be cautious. The tall brunette frowned and began to fill the pouch. The remaining six bullets then found their place in the barrel of a revolver that the huntress pointed to the window in front of her. A candlestick acted as a target while Amélie checked the alignment of her weapon.

" Perfect. » She said, placing the revolver in a brown leather holster.

She then got up and went to put all this in her luggage. These consisted of two large bags made of black leather. Despite all the missions in which the huntress had participated, they were in perfect condition, not a single spot or a hitch. After closing the last one, Amélie ran her fingers over the discreet blazon on this one: a wolf surrounded by fleurs-de-lis.

"Maybe this trip will be an opportunity to get closer to the truth ..."

Suddenly, a bright golden light illuminated the room. Amélie got up quickly, a hand on the weapon she always carried at her belt. With a quick gesture she pointed the gun on the light and waited. You could never be too careful. The light gradually dimmed before fluttering around the room, slowly revealing a message. Amélie then recognized Mercy's handwriting and slowly lowered her weapon.

_"Hello Widowmaker, meet me tomorrow night at the southern entrance of Halesburg, after dark._

_Mercy »_

The tall brunette read the message carefully, before it disappeared slowly before her eyes, plunging the room into darkness. It was daylight outside, but thick curtains obscured the large windows of the living room. This was imperative, knowing that a single ray of sun could be fatal to the huntress. However, if Mercy had contacted her, it meant that the blonde had found a solution to this problem.

This prospect rejoiced Amélie, but it also made her anxious. It had been many years since her vampire nature prevented her from living a "normal" life. Far too many disadvantages she had got used to. The tall brunette had no choice, anyway. And there was no question of dying by exposing herself to the sun. She still had so much to do ...

Amélie sighed, sat back at her place at the table and placed her weapon in front of her. Then she looked up. On the opposite wall, above the fireplace, you could see the outlines of an immense painting. It was covered with a thick piece of cloth. Amélie did not need or want to see it. Its only memory was enough to bring back an intense anger as well as sadness, so much sadness... As always in those moments, a sharp pain made her grunt. The huntress put her hand on the back of her neck and massaged it for a few minutes. The pain gradually faded and Amélie sighed with relief.

"Gérard ... you idiot ..."

The memory of her dead husband haunted her indefatigably. Since that cursed day when everything had collapsed... She had lost everything that day, absolutely everything. But she remained thirsty for revenge, a thirst that had pushed her to take up arms to finally discover the truth.

_A heavy atmosphere invaded the room while the doctor proceeded to the weekly examination of his patient. She must have been about twenty years old at most, with long black hair that almost reached her lower back. Once the doctor had finished, he helped her lay down before putting away all his instruments._

_The young woman began to cough loudly as she brought the thick blankets back over her frail body. She looked exhausted, dark circles adorning her almond shapped eyes. Once the doctor was out of the room, he closed the door behind him and stumbled onto a man pacing down the hall. He was very big and massive, in spite of that he looked terribly worried. He ran his hand over the thin mustache on his upper lip and turned to the doctor._

_" So ? » He asked in an almost pleading voice. " How is she ? "_

_The doctor sighed before looking up at him._

_"I'm sorry my lord ... But, her condition is not getting any better ... Despite all that we have tried, the disease is gaining more and more ground, and I'm afraid she does not have lot of time left... "_

_The man ran his hands through his gummed hair, he seemed devastated by this news and slammed his fist on the railling of the stairs. A tear fell down his cheek, but he wiped it with his sleeve._

_"I see ... How long? "_

_"A few days at most ..."_

_"Thank you doctor, you did everything you could ..."_

_"I would have liked to do so much more ... Goodbye, my lord. "_

_" Goodbye... "_

_The doctor went down the stairs, leaving the man alone in the hallway. Gérard did his best not to burst into tears, a ball of bitterness and sadness forming in his chest. He then heard the young woman coughing in her room and looked up._

" No. I will not let that happen. »_ He thought._

_She was so young and full of life, to let her die was out of the question. And for that, there was only one solution. Everything had been prepared in case this would happened, and Gerard was determined to do what was necessary so the love of his life would live on. He took a deep breath and entered the room._

_The young woman turned her head towards him and gave him a smile filled with sadness. This broke the man's heart as he sat on the edge of the bed and gently took her hand. Their wedding rings shone in the dim light of the candle._

_"I'm going to die, isn't it, Gerard ? » Asked the young woman, squeezing her husband's hand weakly. He nodded, looking at their hands._

_"The doctor is not very optimistic indeed ..."_

_The young woman sighed, which made her cough again. Her breathing was sibilant and uneven. After a few minutes, she finally calmed down and looked at her husband._

_"I suspected it ... He did not want to tell me anything this time. How long ? "_

_Gerard tightened his jaw, doing his best not to burst into tears. The young woman gently stroked his cheek. He kissed the palm of her hand gently._

_"A few days Amélie. But I will not let that happen ... I refuse to let you die. "_

_"We've already discussed that Gérard, you can not do that. » Replied Amélie, while stroking her husband's cheek. "This will cause too many problems."_

_" I don't care. If you're not here with me, all this makes no sense. "_

_Gerard laid down beside his wife and laid his head against her heart. This one beat gently, which comforted Gérard a little. Amélie wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his head._

_"But I can't live without you ..."_

_"I lived long enough, and you so little ... You have all life before you my love. "_

_A tear rolled down the young woman's cheek who hugged Gerard in her arms as much as she could, afraid he would disappear._

_"Please ... don't do that. » She mumbled as she cried. Gérard sat up and kissed her gently, trying to put as much love as possible into that kiss. He felt the tears of his wife against her cheeks, as well as her trembling lips. These were dry and damaged, but he would give everything to kiss them forever. Unfortunately, fate had decided otherwise._

_The two lovers separated reluctantly, looking into each other's eyes. Amelie's trembling hands were resting on her husband's cheeks as she continued to cry, breathing heavily. "I'm begging you ... Don't leave me, I love you so much ..."_

_This vision tore Gerard's heart appart, making him bit his lip not to cry._

_"I love you too Amélie ... And that's exactly why I have to do it. I will never forgive myself if i don't. » He muttered, kissing her again. "Everything will be fine, you'll see ..."_

_" No ! Gérard, please ! Don't do that !"_

_Amélie panicked and hugged her husband tightly, despite the pain in her chest that made her cough again. She loved this man more than anything in the world and the mere idea of living without him was unbearable to her. However, after a few minutes, Gerard gently freed himself from the embrace of his beloved wife. He looked at her one last time, a tear rolling on his cheek._

_"Amélie, you were the most beautiful person I ever met. And those years we've spent together, I'll never forget them ... I'll always love you, be safe. "_

_Amélie listened to him, and felt her heart shatter in her chest._

_"No ... Gérard, please ..."_

_He took a deep breath and leaned over to Amelie, revealing two pointy canines. The young woman didn't have time to react and screamed when she felt Gerard bite her._

_"NOOOOOOOOO ! "_

_Gerard retreated from his wife's throat after a while, a little bit of blood running down his chin. Amelie's vision went fuzzy, she had more and more trouble keeping her eyes open. Yet she heard something before passing out :_

_" Je t'aime Amélie... "_

_Later, in the middle of the night, Amélie awoke startled. Her body was covered with sweat, and her hair tangled, as if she was coming out of an intense fever. She sat up in bed and took a few minutes to catch her breath. To her surprise, her breathing was normal. She felt a shiver run down her spine, and turned her head to the right._

_The window was open, letting in the fresh air of the night. But it was not the only thing that caught the brunette's attention. She got up quickly, and nearly fell from being bedridden all this time._

_" No... "_

_She walked to the window and knelt in front of a shapeless mass. The candles in the room were all out and the only source of light was brought by the moon. Amélie reached out with trembling hands and put them on what she recognized as Gerard's shirt._

_" No no ! » She yelled, clutching the garment against her chest. She smelled the scent of her husband on the fabric and began to cry. "G-gérard ..." she stammered._

_After a while she got up and saw something shine at the window. She frowned a little and stepped towards it, her lips parted._

_"What is... Ah! » She exclaimed, seeing her own reflection on the window. She put her hand to her mouth and felt her long canine teeth under her fingers, as well as two small wounds at her throat. The young woman felt a shiver run down her spine again as she realized what had happened._

« This can't be happening... »

_The young woman lay down on her bed and squeezed Gerard's shirt against her. She burst into tears, but could not feel the relief of falling asleep from exhaustion. Sleep never came… Never again... Only one huge gaping hole remained in the heart of the young widow, as well as intense pain..._


End file.
